Search the Community
Showing results for tags 'future'.
-
Let us begin this article with the boring bit; an extract from the Civil Service Code, the Government's published document which outlines the Civil Service's core values, and the standards of behaviour expected of all civil servants in upholding these values:- Full article: http://www.vanguardbears.co.uk/bill-mccreaths-civil-disservice.html
-
Can anyone confirm?
-
Steven Whittaker says he's no regrets about quitting Rangers despite his injury nightmare at Norwich. SCOTLAND defender headed to Carrow Road 2012 when Ibrox club imploded but he has only made 39 appearances since he moved south. STEVEN Whittaker swears he has no regrets about quitting Ibrox despite an injury nightmare at Norwich. Whittaker left Rangers in 2012 when they were dumped in the bottom tier and moved to Norwich. Injuries have restricted him to just 39 appearances and he said: “I knew I could do better than play in the Third Division. “And I didn’t want to spend three years of my career trying to come back up the leagues. Norwich offered me the challenge to come south and I have enjoyed it. “I still have two years here so I am looking forward to what we can achieve. “I’ve trained hard and all I can do now is make sure I can’t be edged out of the team.” http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/steven-whittaker-insists-no-regrets-3940468
-
http://www.londonstockexchange.com/exchange/news/market-news/market-news-detail.html?announcementId=12035870 Speculate away gentlemen but it seems there's some sort of influential tug o' war happening...
-
missed 2 penalties, otherwise it would have been 6-1 and the return game beyond doubt.
-
Letter sent to Rangers CEO Graham Wallace As we previously communicated with you, we contacted Graham Wallace in June requesting whether he still agreed over the "importance for clubs with ambition to own their own stadium and training centre". Sadly, we received no response so this week we have sent further correspondence to Mr Wallace. This is as follows: Dear Mr Wallace, Season Ticket Sales and the Future of Auchenhowie We note we have yet to receive a response to our email of 10/06/14 (copied below), and again write to express our concerns in regards to the above. Season ticket sales appear to be very disappointing, which is astonishing given that this season could see us return to the top flight, and will involve some potentially excellent matches against Hibs and Hearts, in what will generally be a much more competitive league. This is surely a reflection on how the fans view the performance of the board, and in particular, a reflection on some very real concerns fans have over the future of Ibrox and our training ground at Auchenhowie. We note the recent statement by the board as regards Ibrox, however, rumours continue to persist that the board are in the process of using Auchenhowie to raise funds in some way to bridge the gap left by the very disappointing level of season ticket renewals. As you are no doubt aware, the training complex is viewed as a symbol of the future by Rangers fans, and disposing of this asset in any way is likely to be counterproductive as it would lead to further disillusionment and detachment of the fans - who, it should be remembered, contributed significantly to the cost of the facility. We would therefore urge you to end this downward spiral and clarify how the board plan to address the apparent lack of confidence which the fans appear to have in them, and thus, hopefully, increase the level of season ticket renewals. We would hope an increase in season ticket uptake to a more realistic level would obviate the need for the board to resort to disposing of vital assets. We note that the first responsibility of the board is to the company and not to any individual or group of shareholders. With this in mind, you will recall the board's recent attempt to raise short term funding via a major shareholder, and that The RST was able to assist in procuring a significantly more beneficial deal for the company. Can you therefore confirm that we will be afforded a similar opportunity to obtain a better deal for the company should the board fail to raise season ticket sales and have to resort to using Auchenhowie to raise finance? We hope you will understand our concerns and the urgent need for a response. We will update members with any response we received.
-
Dear Mr Fitzpatrick, SUBJECT : RANGERS TAX CASE I refer to my previous correspondence to you regarding this matter and the various concerns I raised with you. I appreciate to date there has still been no conclusion to the ongoing Police Investigation into the criminal Breaches of Confidentiality which so characterised this HMRC investigation. Since we last exchanged correspondence the only significant development has been the dismissal by Lord Doherty at the Upper Tier Tribunal, of HMRC's appeal against the decision of the First Tier Tax Tribunal. It is as yet unknown whether HMRC intend to escalate this matter and launch a further appeal, despite the previous decisions of the First and Upper Tier Tribunals. However it is the conduct of HMRC during the course of this investigation which is a source of considerable anger and ongoing concern. As I previously informed you, many Rangers supporters and shareholders wrote to both HMRC and Government Minister's with ministerial responsibility regarding breaches of confidentiality regarding the Rangers Tax Case, only to receive responses from both HMRC and the HMRC Ministerial Correspondence Unit that they would not comment on “alleged breaches of confidential information”. The source of such “alleged breaches” was an award winning web blog – The Rangers Tax Case Blog- which ran for numerous months and regularly published confidential information which it sought to interpret courtesy of it's anonymous operator. BBC Scotland also produced an award winning documentary “The Men Who Sold The Jersey's” which was a consequence of numerous items of confidential information they had received, by as yet, unknown means. BBC Scotland also published on their website numerous items of confidential information pertaining to the Rangers Tax Case. An independent commission chaired by Lord Nimmo Smith subsequently concluded as follows : Meanwhile, BBC Scotland came, by unknown means, into possession of what they described as “dozens of secret emails, letters and documents”, which we understand were the productions before the Tax Tribunal. These formed the basis of a programme entitled “Rangers – The Men Who Sold the Jerseys”, which was broadcast on 23 May 2012. BBC Scotland also published copious material on its website. The published material included a table containing the names of Rangers players, coaches and staff who were beneficiaries of the MGMRT, and how much they received through that trust. It also listed the names of people where the BBC had seen evidence that they received side-letters. This event appears to have been the trigger for more activity in response to the SPL’s request. [section 98] Not only does Lord Nimmo Smith highlight the impact of these breaches of confidentiality and their subsequent exposure, but as can be seen, he suggests that the material passed to BBC Scotland was in actual fact evidence before the Tax Tribunal. Whilst it is dangerous to make any presumptions, I do not think it is unreasonable to presume that evidence removed from an evidential storage area, can only have been appropriated by theft. Furthermore as the Police Enquiry into the breaches of confidentiality only commenced after the conclusion of the First Tax Tribunal, following a complaint by Sir David Murray, it would suggest that this appropriation of evidence had up till that point gone unreported.. Whilst there are considerable parts of the jigsaw missing, based on the information which is available I would highlight the following areas of concern to you :- HMRC having seized evidence, in order to progress an investigation, totally ignored repeated concerns and complaints pertaining to breaches of confidentially. To suggest that documentaries produced by BBC Scotland and broadcast on national television equate to “alleged breaches of confidentiality” is simply unacceptable. One is left to speculate if they even bothered to cross reference the evidence they had seized and catalogued with the information which that was being released into the public domain. I would respectfully suggest to you if they have failed to do so – that would be tantamount to gross negligence. There is a considerable feeling amongst many shareholders that having highlighted breaches of confidentiality on numerous occasions, the response of HMRC was both dismissive and misleading, and displayed a complete abdication of their legal responsibility. Lord Nimmo Smith's conclusion that the material passed and subsequently used by BBC Scotland was evidence before the Tax Tribunal raises serious questions about the safe handling and storage of productions by HMRC. If the security of these productions was violated, on how many occasions did this happen ? How was this possible and what steps did HMRC take to report this apparent criminality ? Did they in fact report this appropriation of evidence and what was their legal responsibility to do so ? I’m sure you will appreciate the above concerns are only the tip of the iceberg and there are numerous other areas of concern as well as questions shareholders and supporters have. HMRC's failure to deal with previous complaints has resulted in an erosion of confidence in this organisation's ability to respond to concerns. The apparent, and further possible failings within a government investigative body should be a concern to everyone, even those outside the Rangers community. The concerns I have highlighted are particularly grave and warrant considerable in depth investigation and clarification, not only for the Rangers community, but to ensure all persons dealing with HMRC in the future can so with confidence. I would therefore ask you to raise these concerns amongst your peers within the Scottish Parliament, and for consideration to be given to a full government enquiry in order that these concerns can be investigated fully.
-
"The Union of Fans were approached approximately two weeks ago, on behalf of the PLC board, to once again try to reach agreement on a binding legal guarantee over the club's assets. These discussions continued and various drafts were passed back and forth. The statement that the board released yesterday was rejected by UoF last week due to the fact that it does not give a binding guarantee over Ibrox and that several misleading statements are made within it. Despite us negotiating in good faith, the board has seen fit to release the statement anyway. We were seeking written guarantees over both Ibrox and Murray Park. The board removed all reference to Murray Park. This was not an oversight - they are explicitly refusing to include Murray Park in any undertaking. We believe this is because the board are actively looking to sell this vital club asset due to their failure to so far secure enough funds to see the club through the current season. Their statement is also disingenuous and is a slap in the face for the thousands of fans who have given up long cherished seats attempting to get this board to guarantee the future of our clubÂ’s home. Despite their attempts to claim otherwise, it has never been their position to give any kind of legally binding guarantee over Ibrox and they still have not done so. This most recent statement, on behalf of the so called 'Football Board' - not the PLC board - has crucially not been released to the stock exchange and therefore reduces the chance of shareholder action should they go back on their word. The board claim that they are "committed to protecting the assets of the club". Currently the club has four main assets. Two of those, Edmiston House and the Albion Car Park, have already been used as security for crisis loans due to financial mismanagement. The board continues to refuse to give any legally binding safeguard over Ibrox and we believe they are actively looking at a sale and leaseback of Murray Park - a vital asset if we are ever to properly develop our own talent. They have shown no commitment to protecting the club's assets. This board has committed to raising funds from existing investors through a new share issue in September. We do not believe that they have support from those investors for what is essentially money to keep the lights on and we would ask Graham Wallace to urgently clarify the position on new money coming into the club. The board have lost just under half of the club's season ticket holders due to a complete lack of ability to build trust. Even if those fans were to buy season tickets now, the club still does not have the funds to complete the season and yet the board keeps us in the dark over how they will address this shortfall. We ask them to stop the half-truths, spin and smoke and mirrors and tell fans the truth."
-
RANGERS will compete in their first game of this year’s Dale Farm Milk Cup when they take on County Armagh at the Riverside Stadium in Drumahoe tonight, kick-off 7pm. The young Light Blues, who are in the under-15 Junior section, will then face a mouthwatering test against Liverpool on Tuesday at Ballymena Showgrounds (ko 8pm) before their third game against O’Higgins from Chile on Wednesday at the Riada Stadium in Ballymoney (ko 3.30pm). It is 21 years since Rangers participated at the Milk Cup in Northern Ireland and Jim Sinclair, Rangers Academy Director, believes it's an exciting opportunity for the up and coming talent in Craig Mulholland and Andy Kirk's squad. He said: "We are delighted to be renewing Rangers' long association with the Milk Cup having won the event during the 80's and 90's and we're hopeful that our group will enjoy the experience again this year. "The Milk Cup has over many years developed a fantastic reputation for providing a strong tournament with competitive clubs from all over the world and the quality of opposition will prove a great test for our young team. "We always look forward to taking teams to Northern Ireland where the club has a large supporter base and we know we will participate in an event which has a reputation for first class organisation." This year’s tournament kicked off yesterday with an Opening Ceremony and Nicky Byrne was the special guest. The former Westlife singer, who played at the Milk Cup on three occasions, also led a parade of competing teams through Coleraine. In total 56 teams from the world's leading professional clubs, famous football academies and National Associations from all five Continents have descended on the five local authorities of Coleraine, Ballymena, Limavady, Ballymoney and Derry City to battle it out over five days hoping to end the week as Dale Farm Milk Cup champions in the Elite (under 19), Premier (under 17) and Junior (under 15) sections. The Rangers squad in Northern Ireland is as follows: Kieran Wright, Aidan Wilson, Scott Gray, Kyle Bradley, Jason Krones, Kieran Balfour, Grant Nelson, Jamie Barjonas, Sam Jamieson, Liam Burt, Andrew Dallas, Jack Thomson, Lewis Mayo, Jordan Houston, Stephen Kelly, Zak Rudden, Matifadza Zata, Lewis Muir. For more information on the Dale Farm Milk Cup click here. http://www.rangers.co.uk/news/academy-news/item/7327-young-gers-face-county-armagh
-
From club website today. THE Board of Rangers Football Club ('the Club') has been asked in the past several weeks to confirm once again that the Club will not grant security over Ibrox to any organisation during the upcoming football season. The Board is happy to reaffirm its position, which has never been a matter of debate, by confirming once again that it will not enter into any form of sale, securitisation or leaseback of Ibrox Stadium. This has been and still remains the Board’s clear and consistent position on this subject as it continues to protect and enhance the assets of the Club. The Board of Rangers Football Club is committed to protecting the assets of the Club for the benefit of all Rangers fans, and to adhering to the highest standards of corporate governance. Season Ticket sales are continuing throughout the next few weeks ahead of the start of the season and we are grateful to the thousands of supporters who have already bought for the 2014/15 campaign. Events over the past few weeks have reminded everybody of the remarkably testing period our incredible supporters have been through in recent years and now is the time for us all to look forwards, together.
-
He lost the vote but I'm surprised that seems to have been the end of it? I don't think much of him but it seems odd he has gone completely quiet. Am I missing something?
-
THE IMPORTANCE OF SAFEGUARDING IBROX 23rd July 2014 Some have asked why we have such a desire to safeguard Ibrox and claim it's ok for a club to borrow money against it's stadium and to be fair in normal operating conditions this may be the case. Unfortunately our club does not operate within normal operating conditions. To understand the full importance of our position it is important to be aware of the full financial position our club currently operates. Our club does not have enough cash flow to see out the full season that is soon to start. Some predict a shortfall of circa £8m just to allow the club to stay afloat. Due to many issues, last years season ticket holders numbered approx 34,000 and by the end of the renewal date only 50% of these had renewed their seats. It is fair to assume that some new ST will be sold to new ST holders and some old ones may still renew but regardless, the season ticket sales will be significantly lower than last year and after a promotion, one would have expected to see a rise in sales. The much touted share issue that the board would have us believe would be fully supported by institutional investors simply will not be as successful as they publicly admit and sources close to us claim that even the board now feel the money raised will be much lower than they first presumed. The reason for this is simple, they are asking investors to invest more money but this money will not be used to make the club better and worth more it will simply be used to shore up shortfalls in cash flow (remember we were advised by Mr Wallace at the AGM that we had no short to medium term cash shortfalls) If this share issue was to raise funds for assets or player purchases etc then there is a good case for investors to invest more as the business would normally rise in value and they would see an increase in their investment. Our directors expect to go cap in hand and ask investors to give them more money just to stay afloat and this is only 7 months after telling these very same investors that we had no short to medium term cash worries. Would you give it if you had no emotional attachment to the club? I didn't think so. ST sales are well below target and the promised windfall from a share issue looks like just a pipe dream so where does that leave us as a club? Simple, fresh investment is required and is available and not only from Dave King. So why won't the board accept outside investment? I believe this is the reason or at least one of the reasons that our board room is starting to split. Anyone willing to invest at the levels required would rightly ask for a say in the boardroom and here lies the problem. Our faceless investors and hedge fund simply don't want this and although between them they own less then a third of the business, they want to control the full boardroom and don't want to dilute their power. The faceless and the hedge fund are therefore starving our club. We find ourselves a club in a catch 22. We need cash but those willing to give it won't be allowed as the faceless and hedge fund won't agree to them. That takes us back to the main point, Ibrox. If the club were to use Ibrox to raise money then two options are available 1) Sell stadium then lease back or 2) use Ibrox as security in a loan. If we do a sale and lease back agreement then our club will be paying out money over a long period of time just because this current board are way out on their own cash assessments and if we borrow against Ibrox and our club was to once again lurch in to admin then we would lose our stadium to the lender. Neither is acceptable to me as a fan. So what's the alternatives? 1) Mr Easdale can magic the investment he promised on national TV prior to the AGM (has there ever been a public excuse of what happened to this promised investment?) 2) Mr Wallace can find the £5m he told the UoF at a meeting six weeks ago was available "at the click of a button" 3) Mr Crighton can do something he's been paid to do since pre AGM and that is attract investment as when he was introduced to us he was to chair an investment committee with that very aim (what investment have we attracted since he came?) 4) Talk to those willing to invest in the club and compromise with them. It's not a bad word. 5) Stop mucking about with the fans and show a bit of humility. Tell the fans you are listening to them, tell the fans their actions have been noted and tell them you WILL NOT sell or borrow against our stadium instead of hiding behind cute statements with obtuse phrases. But for the sake of the future of our club DO SOMETHING. If you are incapable of finding an alternative then move aside and let others on board that aren't selected by the 30% of investors who are holding our club back or welcome some on board who can bring the faith of the fans and investment with them. Why are Blue pitch, Margareta and Laxey so against others being represented on our board? This will be discussed in the near future Why does this statement not ask about Auchenhowie? Simple, there's no point in asking for something you can't get and our belief for sometime has been that our training ground will go soon as negotiations have been ongoing for some time. It's time for change, either change how our board conduct themselves or change who selects and drives our board members. The alternative isn't worth considering. http://www.sonsofstruth.co.uk/blog.html
-
The Europa League seems to have slipped by almost unnoticed up to now but an excellent away win for Aberdeen at Gronigen (after an 8-0 agg drubbing of Daugava Rīga) and a penalty shoot out win for St Johnstone at home to Lucern gives Scotland two teams in the 3rd QR. Both Scottish victories came against seeded teams but a disappointing extra-time loss by Motherwell to the unseeded Icelanders, Stjarnan, admittedly second in the Icelandic Premier League in mid season, put a stain on an otherwise good night. Aberdeen and St Johnstone now take the place of their seeded opponents but whilst Gronigen were not seed in the 3rd QR leaving Aberdeen with a difficult hurdle against the 7th seeds Real Sociedad (7th in La Liga last season); St Johnstone theoretically have an "easier" game against Spartak Trnava (3rd in the 12 team Slovak league last season). Adam Rooney is the top scorer in the competition with 6 goals so far. Quality teams like Lyon, Inter Milan, Spurs and Eindhoven await in the 4thQL so a long way to go but it would be nice to have a Scottish team in the group stages. I'll say nothing about the touchy subject of coefficients no doubt I've done enough already!
-
Folks, We're looking for some provisional names and numbers for the Gersnet Prediction League ahead of the start of the new season. The winner at the end of the season will get the sought after 'GPL Champion' custom forum rank won by Whosthedado last season and a wee prize as well. So, if you fancy your chances at predicting the results of our games in the SPFL Championship and our games in Cup competitions, then please put your name down by posting "I'm in" (or something like that) on the thread here. Cheers! PS - The exact competition format and rules will be announced within the next week to 10 ten days, but might well follow follow the excellent system put in place and run by Bluebear54 last season. -
BRIAN LAUDRUP today appealed to Rangers chiefs to patch up their differences with supporters - and work together to restore the Ibrox club to its former glory. Laudrup revealed he had been saddened to see the Glasgow giants continue to be plagued by off-field problems since dropping down to the fourth tier of Scottish football. The legendary winger had hoped the Light Blues would go from strength to strength after they emerged from their financial difficulties two years ago. However, unhappiness with a succession of directors and executives has steadily escalated as tens of millions of pounds of income has been squandered. Matters came to a head this summer when many fans decided not to renew their season tickets - until they received assurances over the future of the stadium and training ground. The bitter stand-off has resulted in vastly reduced numbers of supporters signing up to watch Ally McCoist's side in action at home in the SPFL Championship in the 2014/15 campaign. The club has now admitted that additional funding will have to be found to meet running costs in the coming season and another share issue will be held for existing shareholders later in the year. And at the weekend around 3,000 disgruntled fans marched on Ibrox in a rally organised by the Sons of Struth protest group to demand guarantees over the stadium. Laudrup still takes a keen interest in the fortunes of the Glasgow club, where he spent four years during a glorious spell in the 1990s, from his homeland in Denmark. He stressed he would like to see senior Rangers officials to do everything in their power to mend their fractured relationship with a sizeable section of their followers. Because he feels they need to work as one if the 54-times Scottish champions are to become a dominant force again in football in this country AND get back into European competition. His appeal came as Rangers announced they had set up a nominations committee whose job will be to draw up a shortlist of supporters to be elected to an official fans' board. He said: "I just hope Rangers supporters can look forward to watching the club playing at the level they deserve to be at in the top flight and in Europe once again soon. "I hope they will be back where they once were soon. That is what the supporters deserve. They love the club so much. I am keeping my fingers crossed that that is what is going to happen. "But I know there have been more setbacks along the way. I have read online there are still problems off the park and there are still issues between the club and the supporters. "I hope that these can be sorted out soon. The club need to have the supporters behind them if they are to get Rangers back to the level they should be playing at in Scotland and in Europe. "I think whatever concerns the fans have about the club and the direction it is heading in need to be looked at because Rangers need to have them firmly behind them." http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/rangers/rangers-legend-laudrup-in-plea-to-ibrox-board-172466n.24818886
-
RFC Maybe we can talk about this without any unecessary snyde remarks about the board?
-
All That Glitters... Written by: D'Artagnan Saturday, 19th of July 2014 After penning my recent articles for WATP magazine, I didn't expect to be writing about HMRC again so soon. But of course as Rangers fans, if the last few years has taught us anything, is to always expect the unexpected. Except of course where BBC Scotland is concerned. Their decision to feature Angela Haggerty in a programme discussing Rangers and the big tax case was, disappointingly, completely in character for an organisation which appears to be unable to exercise any of the standards of journalistic integrity, it was once renowned for. Ms Haggerty's apparent inability to understand the anger of Rangers fans towards HMRC is an illuminating reflection of a wider journalistic community in Scotland who have comprehensively failed to grasp some of the golden nuggets the Rangers Tax Case has unearthed, and instead, for a variety of reasons, their attention has been drawn to that which may very well glitter, but alas, is not gold. Firstly though allow me to separate some of the wheat from the chaff, and attempt to qualify the anger of the Rangers support towards HMRC. It does not stem from their investigation and attempts to close the tax loophole which are EBT's, I think most Bears realise the blame for our club finding itself on the wrong side of an HMRC investigation lies with Sir David Murray and his willingness to involve our club in a scheme which had all the hallmarks of risqué, written all over it. Perhaps many, myself included, would be interested in the decision making process which caused HMRC to single out Rangers as the "test case" for EBT's, but that in itself is more about curiosity than anger. Furthermore HMRC's action over Whyte's failure with regards PAYE is perfectly understandable, the only caveat to that being why it took them so long to take action? The anger of the Rangers support stems from conduct by HMRC which suggests they have been negligent during the course of this enquiry, that they have deliberately prevaricated in their responses to concerns about breaches of confidentiality and have failed on a number of professional levels to both safeguard and implement the standards they set for themselves during the course of an investigation. Section 98 of Lord Nimmo Smith's SPL Commission Report makes reference to the confidential information obtained by BBC Scotland. The phraseology used in the report "which we understand were the productions before the tax tribunal" suggests that evidence from the tax tribunal has somehow been removed from its safe storage and passed onto a media organisation. Responsibility for the safe storage and handling of productions normally lies with the prosecuting authority. We therefore have the possible scenario of a professional investigative body seizing evidence in the course of their investigation, failing to secure that evidence properly thus allowing it to be removed and subsequently used by others to infer a presumption of guilt against the accused party whilst meanwhile, that same investigative body dismiss concerns reported to them about such leaks with the phrase "HMRC don't respond to speculation about alleged breaches of confidentiality". Perhaps the question needs to be asked of HMRC – "What exactly do you respond to?" But of course, none of the above offer any insight as to the source of the leaks which allowed another award winner, The Rangers Tax Case Blog, to captivate readers and the wider journalistic community with its regular exposures of sensitive and confidential information. Was the security of the tax tribunal evidence, for which HMRC were responsible, breached on a number of occasions or in one "grand heist" which subsequently fed this web blog with the information it so regularly shared? Or did the material come from another, as yet unknown source? Like many Rangers supporters I am struggling to understand why award winning documentaries broadcast on national television by national media organisations and award winning web blogs, both featuring appropriated confidential information concerning the Rangers Tax was met with the following response when concerned Rangers fans and shareholders highlighted them to HMRC: "HMRC don't respond to speculation about alleged breaches of confidentiality". Speculation and allegation? Quite simply this is totally unacceptable and it is incumbent on our politicians to seek an explanation from HMRC on what is increasingly looking like gross negligence by them concerning this episode. Furthermore it is not only those of us within the Rangers community who are struggling with this concept. At some point in the future, probably at the conclusion of the Police investigation into this matter, HMRC are going to have to provide answers to people who they cannot dismiss in the manner and with the contempt they showed for the Rangers support. This is where we must channel our anger - towards ensuring that a full and thorough investigation is undertaken and that answers are provided which explain the apparent failings of HMRC and makes those responsible accountable for their actions; or lack of action as the case may be. Do not let the Ms Haggerty's of this world tell you that your anger and moral indignation towards HMRC is somehow "unjustified" let us instead use that anger to press for a full government investigation into this matter. When the unknown becomes known, then and only then will we decide if our anger is justified or not.
-
.............all over again to earn long-term deal at Ibrox. THE striker, who returned to Ibrox on a one-year contract, insists he must do the business to pave the way for an additional agreement beyond his 12 months. KRIS BOYD admitted last night that he needs to prove himself all over again to earn a long-term deal at Rangers. The 30-year-old returned to Ibrox in the summer on a one-year contract. Boyd appears open to the idea of extending his stay but is adamant he must do the business to pave the way for an additional agreement beyond his 12 months. The striker said: “For me it wasn’t about how long I signed for. It was just about getting myself back in the door at this club and scoring goals. “I have been given the chance to do that and now it’s up to me to put on performances that could mean I might deserve a long contract. “Over the years I’ve said I have maybe slipped into a comfort zone when I have been on a longer contract. “So for me right now it’s more beneficial to be working on a year-to-year basis. It gives me a challenge to prove I can still do it. “Last year at Kilmarnock I wanted to get back playing games and scoring goals. “I’m not back at Rangers to muck about. I want to get myself back scoring goals at the rate I was in my first spell at this club and hopefully I can do it for years to come.” Despite being 20th on the all-time list of Rangers’ leading scorers with 128 and also the record SPL marksman, Boyd knows nothing is set in stone as regards a long-term future at Ibrox. He added: “That’s out of my hands. The main thing for me is to score goals. “I’m not saying I’m going to score 35 to 40 next season and they better give me a five-year contract. That’s how football is nowadays. “The most important thing is getting this club back to where it belongs. And if I play my part in that then I will have a strong case to stay longer. “You can’t take anything for granted. That’s been my philosophy since I left here. “But I’m happy, I’m settled, I’m back home and I want to concentrate on my football again.” http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/rangers-star-kris-boyd-admits-3882651 -
Friday, 18 July 2014 A total of 18 teams with the best disciplinary records across the Scottish Professional Football League, Scottish Highland Football League and Scottish Lowland Football League will be rewarded with Scottish FA Fair Play Award payments ahead of the new season. Following the compilation of the 2013/14 Review of Player Misconduct, the teams that finished first, second and third in the disciplinary table for each league will receive payments of £5,000, £3,750 and £1,250 respectively. Scottish FA President, Campbell Ogilvie, said: “It’s important to encourage fair play across the game, and we believe that offering incentives to clubs, and recognising their efforts, helps to foster and encourage fair play. “We are delighted to issue Scottish FA Fair Play Award payments to 18 teams across the six senior leagues ahead of the new season.” Scottish FA Fair Play Awards Following compilation of the 2013/14 Review of Player Misconduct (based on first team League and Cup appearances), the following payments will be made to clubs: SPFL Premiership 1. Celtic FC (£5,000) 2. Motherwell FC (£3,750) 3. Aberdeen FC (£1,250) See the full SPFL Premiership Review of Player Misconduct here… SPFL Championship 1. Dumbarton FC (£5,000) 2. Cowdenbeath FC (£3,750) 3. Dundee FC (£1,250) See the full SPFL Championship Review of Player Misconduct here… SPFL League One 1. Rangers FC (£5,000) 2. Stranraer FC (£3,750) 3. Dunfermline Athletic FC (£1,250) See the full SPFL League One Review of Player Misconduct here… SPFL League Two 1. Clyde FC (£5,000) 2. Albion Rovers FC (£3,750) 3. Annan Athletic FC (£1,250) See the full SPFL League Two Review of Player Misconduct here… Scottish Highland Football League 1. Keith FC (£5,000) 2. Brora Rangers FC (£3,750) 3. Inverurie Loco Works FC (£1,250) See the full SHFL Review of Player Misconduct here… Scottish Lowland Football League 1. Gala Fairydean Rovers FC (£5,000) 2. Dalbeattie Star FC (£3,750) 3. Spartans FC (£1,250) See the full SLFL Review of Player Misconduct here… http://www.scottishfa.co.uk/scottish_fa_news.cfm?page=2566&newsCategoryID=1&newsID=13515
-
1300 words on a situation that is becoming more worrying and difficult to justify with every day that passes... http://www.gersnet.co.uk/index.php/latest-news/260-ally-mccoist-and-rangers-time-for-some-home-truths
-
THEY follow in the footsteps of their team. Now Rangers fans will retrace the steps of their most famous sons. The walk to Ibrox is a journey made on a regular basis by the Light Blue legions but on Saturday they will head for their Govan home for a very different reason. There will be no match to watch, no team to cheer as they assemble in front of the iconic red brick facade. Instead, their focus will be on the men who walk the corridors of power. The fight to secure the future of Ibrox has been a long one, with the Union of Fans at the forefront of discussions with the Rangers board in a bid to strike a deal. The assurances they seek are simple yet have proven hard to obtain from a hierarchy that has shut the door on the people that they need most and care most deeply about their club. Craig Houston and the Sons of Struth have been vocal and visual in their fight against the board in recent months and will again lead from the front as thousands of fans get set to march through Glasgow this weekend. "There are not many Rangers fans who say that securing Ibrox, and Murray Park, is not important to them," Houston told SportTimes. "We arrived on that site after a number of years of hard work by the founders of the club. "Rangers were a bit nomadic before that, playing at a number of venues across Glasgow, and the last part of that journey was going from Kinning Park to Ibrox. "People are seeing the importance of that journey. "The Gallant Pioneers worked hard to get Rangers their own stadium and now the fans must keep it in Rangers' hands. "The Sons of Struth are organising the event but it is not just for SoS supporters, it is for all fans, season ticket holders, non-season ticket holders, people who have renewed or haven't renewed. "I hope all fans' groups join us, like they have before, with their banners. I would love to see as many supporters clubs there with their crests." The walk to Ibrox is the latest demonstration held in an attempt to persuade the board to grant legal assurances that Rangers' historic home, and their Auchenhowie training base, will not be sold off in the midst of more financial uncertainty. A DEAL appeared to have been struck several weeks ago when representatives of the Union of Fans met with chief executive Graham Wallace and directors Sandy Easdale and Norman Crighton. But after those talks broke down in a wave of anger and hard-hitting statements, the issue remains unresolved as fans get set to take to the streets once again. Houston said: "There was a point before the end of the season where we felt we wouldn't need to do anything because we were in discussions with the board but those talks broke down in quite a calamitous fashion. "We could either sit on our hands over the summer or we could make our feelings known that we still want written assurances and that the issue was still important to us. "From an organisational point of view, this is the biggest event we have put together and I have been shocked and delighted with the feedback we have had and the number of people that have supported us." There may have been a temporary ceasefire in the war of words between both parties but the ill-feelings between those on the terraces and the men in the boardroom hasn't subsided in recent weeks. Another round of talks would appear to be the next step in this long-running saga if the fans' fears are going to be allayed and Houston insists the Light Blue legions won't shut the door on the under-fire board. He said: "The Union of Fans had discussions with the board to try and secure Ibrox before the season ticket deadline but the way those talks broke down left a sour taste in the mouth. "There was no contact with us, just a public statement a few days later after an agreement was reached in the room. We felt we had assurances over Ibrox and the only grey area surrounded Murray Park. "The members of the UoF all left that meeting with the same impression and we were promised that there would be a board meeting the following day and we would be notified of the outcome. "If it was agreeable to three board members on a board of five, it should have been the easiest meeting they have had. "They have changed their minds, or someone has changed their mind for them. "There was no reply to the UoF but we have never shut the door on the club and there is still time this week to further discuss matters." The failure of the board to grant assurances over Ibrox and Murray Park is just one of factors behind the decision of tens of thousands of fans to opt against renewing their season tickets this summer. Only 17,000 briefs for the Championship season had been shifted when the Gers hierarchy issued a sales update last month as fans wait to be won over by the latest ensemble of men in suits at the top of the marble staircase. Houston said: "If the board can prove themselves to be more trustworthy, honest and open than they have until now, that would give people reasons to go and buy tickets. "The ones who haven't so far are not solely supportive of the UoF, there are fans that haven't renewed for a variety of reasons. "It is not a battle between those who support the board and don't and those who have renewed and haven't. That is nonsense. "The are over 17,000 season tickets sold just now but I think you would be hard pushed to find more than a handful who would stand in public and say they support the board." http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/rangers/rangers-fans-in-march-to-ibrox-171037n.24749585
-
RANGERS are pleased to announce match ticket pricing for home games in the new SPFL Championship season. There are two categories of games for the 18 league matches played at Ibrox next season. Category A games are league matches against Hearts and Hibs, while games featuring the other seven teams in the division are in the Category B classification. Match ticket pricing for Category B games range from £17 to £29 for adults, £12 to £20 for concessions and £5 to £6 for juniors. Category A prices range from £21 to £33 for adults, £15 to £23 for concessions and £5 to £8 for juniors. Tickets for the first two games of the season – the Petrofac Training Cup tie with Hibs on Tuesday August 5 and the first league game of the season at home to Hearts on Sunday August 10, will go on sale online and via the Ticket Hotline from Friday July 18 with the Rangers Ticket Centre beginning to sell from Monday July 21. Matchday ticket prices are between 5 and 8% higher than the price of the equivalent Season Tickets for Ibrox next season. Rangers Chief Executive Graham Wallace said: “The new match ticket pricing structure provides excellent value for money in what promises to be the most competitive league in Scottish football next season. “Our policy is to keep tickets as affordable as possible – especially for junior supporters – while reflecting the increased standard of football our fans can expect with visits from both Edinburgh clubs the highlights of the fixture calendar.” “The excitement is building for the new campaign and everybody here is raring to go.” The Club is making special access arrangements to allow supporters to use the Ticket Centre while Ibrox is being prepared for, and then de-rigs after, the Commonwealth Games Rugby Sevens. The Ticket Centre will be closed for the two days of the rugby competition on Saturday July 26 and Sunday July 27. Tickets can still be purchased on those days via the Club website or Ticket Hotline. The Club has produced a ‘Questions and Answers’ document that will provide supporters with most of the information they require about buying tickets. CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE Q&A DOCUMENT http://www.rangers.co.uk/news/headlines/item/7180-rangers-announce-ticket-pricing
-
http://www.gersnet.co.uk/index.php/latest-news/258-book-review-born-under-a-union-flag-rangers-the-union-scottish-independence -
The poll resulted in a narrow win for 27/09/2014 v Hibernian, with the obvious caveat of moving to Sunday if required. As was proven last time, even if an early kick-off is unpalatable to some from a football point of view it gave us a nice comfortable afternoon/ early evening to eat and drink; so in some ways I'd be hopeful of an early kick off again. In the first instance I'm only going to put up two options: going back to Malaga Tapas http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Restaurant_Review-g186534-d1087980-Reviews-Malaga_Tapas-Glasgow_Scotland.html or "somewhere else". In order not to appear biased, I will say only that I have confirmed that Cristobal would be happy to have us back; but it is entirely up to you guys if you want to go back or somewhere else. If you wish to go somewhere else then please post a suggestion and I will do a second poll. Unless there is a landslide one way or the other, I'll keep the poll open till the end of the month, so that everyone who is on holiday gets a chance to vote. -
Christian Nerlinger has delivered a blow to Rangers chief executive Graham Wallace by rejecting the chance to become the club’s new football operations officer. The German, who played for Rangers between 2001 and 2004, held talks with Wallace about returning to Ibrox and filling a role similar to the one he previously held at Bayern Munich. The pair met twice in recent weeks but Sportsmail understands that, after careful consideration, 41-year-old Nerlinger has decided to decline. The appointment of a new football figurehead was one of the key recommendations of Wallace’s 120-day business review of the club. Had Nerlinger accepted, he would have been responsible for player identification and recruitment. Rangers boss Ally McCoist would have welcomed assistance in that department but any new appointee would essentially have assumed some of the manager’s duties. Ultimately, McCoist is understood to favour the establishment of a new scouting system, an area that has been neglected during the attempts to recover from financial meltdown. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2690180/Christian-Nerlinger-turns-chance-Rangers-football-operations-officer.html
